Captain charged with sexual assault, fraternization is acquitted

Editor's Note: At court martial last August, a military judge acquitted Capt. Seth Ratner acquitted of all charges stemming from an alleged sex assault. However, the fact that Ratner was cleared in the case was not made public because the during the August, 2015 court martial. A military judge at Mildenhallacquitted him on the charges of assault consummated by a battery, sexual assault, abusive sexual contact, and fraternization. The Air Force does not report the names of airmen who are acquitted of crimes,, making it difficult for Air Force Times to follow-up with the results of some trials. Air Force Times was only able to verify that Ratner was acquitted by speaking with his attorney. If you have information on an acquitted airman and would like us to update our reporting, please contact Phillip Swarts at pswarts@airforcetimes.comor Oriana Pawlyk at opawlyk@airforcetimes.com.

This is the original story from June, 2015:

A captain at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting and fraternizing with an enlisted airman.

Capt. Seth Ratner, of the 351st Air Refueling Squadron, is due in court on Aug. 3, according to the Air Force Judge Advocate General's office online docket.

Ratner faces charges of sexual assault, assault consummated by a battery and fraternization in connection with events that allegedly took place between Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 in the town of Bury, England, according to a charge sheet that was provided to Air Force Times.

He is accused of causing bodily harm to an unnamed airman through sexual contact, grabbing her by the throat, and inappropriately posing for photographs with her as they were lying on a futon couch, the charge sheet says.

Philip Cave, Ratner's civilian attorney, said Ratner declined to comment on the advice of counsel. Cave confirmed that Ratner has pleaded not guilty to the charges but declined to comment further.